Australian Film Syndicate
{{Short description|Australian film production company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
The Australian Film Syndicate was an Australian film production company based in North Sydney. According to novelist Arthur Wright, "A local draper put a lot of money into it, and lost it; though all the films produced were not 'duds.' One which paid its way well was an adaptation of my novel, Gamblers Gold".{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136750230 |title=To Pana's Page On Passing and Past Shows. |newspaper=The Referee|location=Sydney |date=1 July 1931 |accessdate=13 September 2014 |page=24 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}
History
The company was formed in May 1911.{{Citation
| title=Registered Firms
| journal=Dun's Gazette for New South Wales
| volume=5| issue=17 (1 May 1911)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=Dun's Gazette
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-764738935
| id=nla.obj-764738935
| access-date=26 February 2024
| via=Trove
}} Wright wrote "a draper and a medico found the finance. They also lost it".{{Citation
| title=Australian Moving Pictures. An Industry Which Has Failed to Grow Up. Some Reminiscences.
| journal=Everyones
| volume=6| issue=357 (5 January 1927)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=Everyones Ltd
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-576826185
| id=nla.obj-576826185
| access-date=26 February 2024
| via=Trove
}}
In November 1911 it was announced the Australian Film Company was formed with a capital of £20,000 to make movies for the Australian Film Syndicate.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115279415 |title=NEW COMPANIES. |newspaper=The Evening News|location=Sydney |date=30 November 1911 |accessdate=13 September 2014 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15293337 |title=NOTES AND COMMENTS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=23,053 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 December 1911 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}} The Australian Film Company went into liquidation in 1913.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15418613 |title=NOTES AND COMMENTS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 May 1913 |accessdate=13 September 2014 |page=11 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}
An advertisement of June 1911 pushing The Octoroon said the company had also made The Shadow of the Rockies, Black Talbot and Diamond Cross.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15221926 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=22,907 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 June 1911 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{Citation
| title=C. Lacey Percival Resigns from A.F. Ltd.
| journal=Everyones
| volume=5| issue=311 (17 February 1926)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=Everyones Ltd
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-574672185
| id=nla.obj-574672185
| access-date=25 February 2024
| via=Trove
}} In June 1911, the actor EB Williams was reported as working for them.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168597565 |title=THEATRICAL TIT-BITS. |newspaper=Sydney Sportsman |volume=X |issue=627 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 June 1911 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}
The company was involved in various lawsuits.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239167519 |title=DISTRICT COURT. |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=10,382 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 September 1912 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}
According to Lacey Percival, six films were made for the Australian Film Syndicate.{{Citation
| title=The Versatile Cameraman.
| journal=Everyones
| volume=3| issue=158 (14 March 1923)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=Everyones Ltd
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-569876460
| id=nla.obj-569876460
| access-date=26 February 2024
| via=Trove
}}
There was a fire at the Melbourne office of the JD Williams Australian Film Company in November 1911.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120674489 |title=FIRE PANIC. |newspaper=Sunday Times |issue=1402 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 December 1912 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}
The Australian Film Company was liquidated in April 1913.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226761816 |title=IN THE MATTER OF THE AUSTRALIAN FILM CO., LTD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=63 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 April 1913 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=2623 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15418613 |title=NOTES AND COMMENTS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=23,502 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=8 May 1913 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}} (Another Australian Film Company appeared to emerge in following years).{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210322071 |title=AUSTRALIAN FILMS. |newspaper=The Express and Telegraph |volume=LII |issue=15,442 |location=South Australia |date=5 February 1915 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=4 (SPECIAL WAR EDITION.) |via=National Library of Australia}}
Filmography
- The Golden West (27 March 1911){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120777558 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=The Sunday Times |location=Sydney |date=2 April 1911 |accessdate=13 September 2014 |page=1 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221576646 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Sun |issue=227 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=22 March 1911 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=3 (FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}}
- Three Strings to Her Bow (10 April 1911){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239097032 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=9943 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 April 1911 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}
- Black Talbot (11 August 1911 preview){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166925459 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate |volume=XXIX |issue=134 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=4 August 1911 |accessdate=26 February 2024 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}
- The Diamond Cross (11 August 1911 preview)
- Gambler's Gold (November 1911)
- Strike (March 1912)
- The Octoroon
- The Shadow of the Rockies
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Companies based in Sydney
Category:Defunct companies of Australia
Category:Film production companies of Australia
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